Electric lamp unit



Mmh s, 1938.

H. A. DOUGLAS ELECTRIC LAMP UNI T Filed Feb. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Hmg A-Dou91as I N viwro AJ- TORNLY$ March 8, 1938. H. A. DOUGLAS 2,110,136

. ELECTRIC LAMP UNIT Filed Feb. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hqxrs A-DO 15 l N \AENTOR ATTORLLETb Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES} PATENT 1 OFFICE ELECTRIC LAMP UNIT Harry A.

Douglas, Bronsonyltiicln, assignor to Kingston Products Corporation, a corporation diana I i of In Application February 26, 1935, Serial No.

.7 Claims. (01. 240-41) My invention relates to electric lamp unita'ar d more particularly to electric lamp units comprising an incandescent electric lamp mounted in, a

reflector, as in an automobile headlight, and the principal object of my invention isto provide a new and improved unit oi this type. y In the drawings accompanying this specificament of my invention, 7

Figure 2 is an end elevation of a socket unit forming part of the embodiment ofFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the' parts shown in used to form a portion'of the socket unit,

Figure 5 is a front elevation ofa' detail of the 25 socket unit, v

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the socket unit completely assembled,

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the socket unit completely assembled,

30 Figure 8 is a jfrontele'vation of a portion of a' Figure 121s a fragmentary detail sectional View;

taken along the line i2 l2 of Figure 11, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Figure 1,

46 invention here illustrated is shown as including an incandescent electric lamp adapted to be suitably connected to a reflector 2|, the reflector Figure 1 is a vertical sectionaifview, certain parts being fragmentarily shown, of one embodifastened to the base-22 in any suitable manner as by so1dering 26 (see Figure 10). y

The collar 24 is here shown as adapted to be through an aperture 21 in the In thisinstance" the aperture 21 is extension on the reflector 2|. t y I In order to definitely position the lamp 20 with respect to the reflector, provided with circumferentially spaced indentas tions 30, 3!, axially extending projections, only one madeto gauge each other; that is, fit snugly.

Adapted to cooperate with the lamp 20 is a The ends of the. connector portions36, 3T, 38 are formed in the'shape of hooks having their throat portions defined by the edges 42, 43 01" as thehooks formed on the portions 31, 38 are identical vtherewith. e hook has a mouth 44, the sides of which, extending to the bottom thereof are defined by converging lines 45, 46, forming the flange may be 32, (see also Figure 10), forming.

, I31 adapted to h 2,110,135 ofthe hook. The aperturings 31, 98, in 'a manner described in connection with the aperturing 36, also form radially extending portions I33, cooperate. with the hooks of the connector portions 31, 38 in a manner similar to that described extending portion I35 'nector portion36. 1 I

In the event that it is desired to manufacture the socket unit out of sheet material, a blank,

such as illustrated in Figure 4, is first stamped out and shaped to the form shown in Figures 2 and 3, where the portion 35 forms a cylindrical shell and the integral connector portions 36, 31,

38 are shaped so that the axially extending portions 33 along with the hook-shaped endsthere of'are of arcuate cross-section, the arcs being of the same radius, and concentric with the axis of the shell 35.

The contact carrier is then inserted into the shell 35, with the projections 52, 53 in the recess 54, 55 in the end of the shell, the projection, corresponding to the projections 52, 53, not visible inFigure 3, being received in therecess 53in the end of the shell. The fingers 51 are then clinched over the rear end of the contact carrier 5|.

. hooks.

The ring 13"of the biasing means may he slipped, from the rear, over the connector portions 36, 31, 38, the narrow portion 84 of the apertures 8|, 82, 83 passing freely pastthe reduced portions 43 of the connector portions 36, 31, 38, and the undercut portions 85 of the apertures 8|, 82, freely along and receiving within themthe neck portions 33 of the connector portions 36,- 31, 38. The ring 13 is moved towards the ends of the connector portions until the front face of the ring '13 abuts the apexes I38 of the lips of the The spring loops 14, 15, 16 are then flexed so that the respective free I in side elevation, asillustrated in-Figure 6, and

in -front elevation as illustrated in Figure 7.

The socket unit may now be connected to a reflector by inserting the endsof the hooks of the connector tures 89, 33, 3| in the reflector. The ring 13 then abuts, and more particularly the frontwardly extending detents 86, 81, 88 abut the rear of the flange 28 of the reflector. The circumferential width of the hooks between the outer axial edges 42, 48 thereof, is greater than-the circumferential width of the respective apertures 83, 33, 3|. Hence as the .hooks'are inserted in those apertures the beveled edges 41 of the ends of the throats of the hooks will engage the respective radial edges 34 of those apertures. By.turning the socket'unit 34 bodily in a direction such that the beveled portions 49 of the hook lips engage the radial edges 35 of the apertures,,83,f33,-;9| respectively, the resulting cam actionbetween those beveled edges and the radial edges 95 pulls the connector portions 36, 31,38 further through the reflector apertures, against the increased bias of the biasing means 12, until the apexes in connection with the radially;

and thehookof .the con- .lamp is moved 'bias of thespring-pressed contacts 53, 63, until 20 against the bias of lugs 36, 31, 38. illustrated in Figure 12. Here only the connector" ends 11 thereof are The portions 36, 31, 38'into the aperrespectively, the trailing edges of the detents then being opposed to the radialedges 34 of the detent-receiving aperture portions 33. The action of thebiasing means 12 holds the detents 36, 81, 88 in place and hence prevents unintended 5 disengagement of the socket unit from the reflector. The parts are then in the position'shown in Figure 9 in which the reflector, with the socket unit assembled therewith, is viewed from. the front. 36, 31, 38 in the arcuate apertures 83, 33, 3| may be snug enough to gaugeor locate the connector portions with respect to the reflector.v I

a If it is now desired to mount with the reflector a lamp, such as thelamp 23 of Figure 1, the 15 largerportions 33 of the aperturings 96, 31, 33 are brought into registrywith theendsof the books of theconnector portions 33, 31, 33.

toward the reflector against the the projections, such as 33, corresponding to the indentations 33, 3|, 32 abut the front surface of the flange 28. If'the lamp'is then turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the front of the reflector, the edges |3| of the aperture por- 25 tions 33 of the aperturings 36, 91, 98 will engage respectively the beveled portions 43 of the hook lips and *by cam action will pull the connector portions 38, 31, 38 further through the reflector thebiasing means 12. Con- 30 tinuance of the clockwise rotation of the lamp will cause the apexes I33 of the lips of the hooks to ride over the front face of the radially extending portions I35, I38, I31 and then the apexes I38 of the hook lips will snap respectively into 35 the smaller aperture portions I33 of the apertur- The hooks now have the position portion 36 is shown, but all of the connector portions assume a tion the sides 45, 46 of the hook mouth straddle the radial portion I35, of the lamp base flange 25, those sides being in contact with the edges IN and I 33 respectively of the radial .portion I35. The biasing means 12 of course presses the flange 45 25 toward the front face of the reflector, and hence presses the projections 33, corresponding to the indentations 33, 3|, 32 into abutment with the front of the reflector flange 28. Since these projections are in radial alinement with the 50 radialportions I35, I36, I31 against which pressure is applied to bring the flange 25 into registry with the reflector, distortion of the flange 25 by that pressure is avoided;

The lamp may be assembled with the positioning means 23 by placing the'positioningmeans on a standard with the lamp base within the collar 24 and then adjusting the lamp until the lighting center of the desired filament thereof is in a predetermined position, whereupon the collar 24 is soldered to the lamp-base. The position of other filaments of the lamp may be likewise predetermined.

It will be evident from the foregoing that my invention provides a means w ereby a lamp may be connected to a reflector with the lighting center of a filament thereof at a predetermined point with respect to the reflector, and also that the position of the lamp about its axis will be predetermined so that the proper contacts thereon will be brought into engagement with contacts on a socket unit which in turn has the position of its contacts about the axis of the socket predetermined with respect to the reflector.

When it is desired to disconnect a lamp from The fit of the arcuate connector portions 10 similar position- In that posithe .flange28, todisengage the reflector, the lamp is wlse'as viewed in- Figure 11, whereby the edges I03 of the radial portions I05, Hi6, I01, by cam actioniagalnst the sides 46 of the hook mouths, forcethe connector portions 36,31, 38 frontwardly, against the. bias of the biasing means I2,therebyipermitting disengagement of the lamp", as will be evident..; v v I The socket ,unitrmay be. disconnected from the reflector either by movingithe ring 13 away from the'detents 86,81; 88 .from the aperture portions 8310f" the apertures 89,90, '9'l, or by firstdisen'gaging the ends 11 of the spring "loops-.14, 15, 16' fromthe apertures'lB, I9, 80, whereupon. means 12 may be slippedrearwardly off of the connector portions'.36,-.31, '38. ,In either. case the socket may then be lamp and its base, may assume a variety of-forms,

portions having lateral extensions;

variously changed and modified within the spirit oflthe invention. 4

In general it will be: obvious; to those skilled in the art that the features of my invention may be individually. changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of myinvention or sac" rificingall of the advantages, thereof, and 'ac-' cordingly, that the disclosure herein is illustrative only, ,and. that my invention is not limited thereto.nj :1 I a 1 I claim: a 1. A holding unit, for cooperation with an incandescent electric lamp," adapted to be connected'to a mounting, comprising: a socket body, said body having circumferentially spaced connector a member adapted to abut said lateral extensions; resilient means for biasing said member toward said ateral extensions; said resilient meanshaving a free end directed toward saidasocket body; and said socket body. having an opening "in its periphery for receiving said'iree end, said free end reacting against a; margin of said opening.

2. A holding unit. for cooperation with an incandescent electric lamp, adapted to be connected toa mounting, comprising: a socket body, said turned counter-clocka first portion through V joining saidfirst portion and said base provided with a lateral extension,

the entireabiasing turned sons to disengage the hooks on the connectoraportionsjfi, 31, 38 fromto those skilled in the,

embodied. in other body having connector portions having lateral extensions; 9, member adapted to abut said lateral. extensions, said member having a first aperture, and compound auxiliary apertures disposed aboutsaid first aperture, said auxiliary apertures .forming radial extensions of said aperture; saicl; compound apertures each comprising which one of said connector portions extends and a narrower portion first. aperture. having a said lat- 3.-An incandescent electric lamp,

eral extension being provided with'a' plurality of v circumferentially spaced sets of apertures, each set-j including .two separate circumferentially spaced apertures. y

9 4. In combination: a mounting, having'a plu-. rality of. apertures; an incandescent electric lamp, having a base; a lateral extension on said base provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced sets of apertures, each set including two separate circumferentially spaced apertures;

a holdingunit for said lamp,

having portions dismounting. apertures and through'one aperture of each of said sets of apertures respectively; and said portions of said holding unithaving partsoverlying said lateral extension between said separate apertures and extending into the other apertures 01 each of said sets ofapertures-respectively.

, 5. An incandescent electric lamp, having a base provided with a lateral extension; said lateral extension being provided with a plurality of cirposed through said cumferentially spaced sets of apertures; each set including two separate circumferentially spaced apertures; and projections on a face of said lat-' eral extension extending in the general direction of the axis of said lamp and disposed in substantialradial alinement with the spaces between said separate apertures respectively.

6. An incandescent electric lamp, having a base provided with a lateral extension; said lateral extension being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced sets of apertures, each set including two separate circumferentially spaced apertures one of which is of materially greater circumferential extent than the other.

f7. An incandescent electric lamp, having a base provided with a lateral extensionysaid lateral extension being provided with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced sets of apertures, each set including two separate circumferentially spaced apertures, at least one of said separate apertures of. each of said sets having radially outer and inner peripheries defining radially spaced arcs concentric with the axis of said lamp.

Y RY A. DOUGLAS. 

